Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - After inking a new two-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, defenseman Bo Byram joined Brian Duff and Marty Biron on Friday during an appearance on "Sabres Live".
Byram went through a lot this summer, as he was on the top of all the trade rumors, and was also rumored to be getting an offer sheet.
"There’s always a little bit of tension, but I’m trying to do what’s best for me. And then eventually you come to an agreement, but I kind of enjoy the process to learn that side of the game a little more. But it all worked out well," said Byram on WGR.
If the two sides wanted to, they could’ve agreed to an eight-year deal, but they decided to go short-term.
"I think you’re starting to see a bit of a shift with players taking shorter term deals, but for me. it worked well," Byram acknowledged. "I have a lot of room to grow as a player. I see myself continuing to get better, and it gives me another chance, whether it’s one or two years down the road in the future. So I’m happy it’s done and out of the way, and now I’m getting prepared for the season, and getting back with the guys and getting back on the ice, which we’re all excited to do."
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Since being acquired by the Sabres in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in March of 2024, Byram has played 100 games with Buffalo.
"I was only here a short amount of time the year I got traded (18 games), but last year, especially down the stretch we took a lot of big steps as a team. That’s something we want to grow on," Byram said.
One of the areas Byram points to as an emphasis for team growth is improving defensively.
"It’s unfortunate that we had that [13-game slide] early on in the season. Without that, we would’ve been right there," Byram felt.
"And personally, I’ve been pretty happy with my time in Buffalo. I’ve gotten an opportunity to play a bigger role and play more minutes, and I’m happy with that. I’m just trying to continue to grow, but who I’m playing with and the situations I’m put in as a player, I have a lot more to give. I’m looking forward to having that opportunity to do so."
The numbers tell us when Byram is paired with captain Rasmus Dahlin, they’re one of the best pairs in the entire league. His numbers aren't all that good when he plays with anyone else on the Buffalo blue line.
The question is, does he adjust his game depending on who he’s with on the ice?
"The biggest difference is 'Ras' is one of the best defensemen in the world right now. That would be the major difference," Byram said. "When I’m on the ice with him, the game is a lot easier on you. When I play with him, I take care of the defensive side of the puck, making sure I’m hanging back and giving him the freedom to get up ice and do his thing. But I also try not to let it take away from my own game too much.
"I think we play quite well together, and we balance out each other quite well. We both think the game in a similar manner, as we’re able to get the puck up ice together and get the puck into our forwards hands.
"When I’m not playing with him, I don’t know if how I approach the game changes all that much. And no matter who I’m playing with, I try to take care of the defensive side of the puck. But I think I need to continue to get better, and I think I can continue to get better."
Many feel Byram should start the season with Dahlin, and stay there each and every game. As far as what Byram is hearing from head coach Lindy Ruff and general manager Kevyn Adams, he feels it's nice to have a solid partner for a certain stretch of games.
"You kind of get to learn more about their game and how they do things, their tendencies. It makes it a little easier, but there are times through the season where people get hurt, I’m not playing well, someone else is not playing well and things get shuffled around," Byram said. "But with the addition of [Michael] Kesselring, that will really help us out, because he’s a big, right-handed shot. So we’re all excited for that, whether it’s Owen [Power] playing with him or Rasmus playing with him. I think he’s just going to be a big help, and having a couple of right-handed shots mixed in does simplify things for us."
At 24-years-old, Byram has played 246 NHL games, but it was last season where he played a career-high 82 games. His career-high before that in a season was 55.